In a press statement reported on Thursday by state-run news agency MENA, QNB said it had begun legal measures with the Egyptian government to obtain Societe Generale's Egypt unit and expected to make a full acquisition within two months.

QNB presented its offer to acquire NSGB to Egypt's central bank on 19 December 2012.

The leading Qatari bank will pay almost $2 billion its stake.

News of the central bank's approval propelled NSGB's shares, with analysts expecting it to be Thursday's biggest gainer.